Yet, Smart’s absence didn’t spur West Virginia into takeover mode. In fact, from the 12:19 mark when Smart exited, until the 9:06 mark when the All-American returned, No. 11 Oklahoma State went on a 9-2 run to take the lead. Given the spate of late-game twists that ultimately led to the Cowboys’ 73-72 win, we might have overlooked those three Smartless minutes when OSU seemed vulnerable.

But not WVU boss Bob Huggins, who will suffer nightsweats over every wasted possession that could have reversed Saturday’s nip/tuck thriller.

“We’re close,” the coach said, before lamenting how his young players “don’t understand that when you stop playing hard that people take advantage of you.”

Especially loaded teams like OSU.

With Smart on the bench, West Virginia freshman forward Brandon Watkins made a soft pass on the perimeter, leading to a steal and dunk by Markel Brown. OSU led 56-52 and out came Watkins.

More maddening: The Cowboys were up 60-57 after a free throw when Williams and Gary Browne got out-of-step taking the ball out-of-bounds and committed the very definition of an unforced turnover.

Another moment of timidity: With the game squared at 67-all, Kamari Murphy hit his first free throw and missed the second, only to have Smart worm in for the offensive rebound. The extended possession resulted with a Smart layup.

“We didn’t even think about blocking out someone who is probably a first-team All-American,” Huggins said. “We just stood there. I don’t know how you do that, but we did.”

Yet WVU retained its wits and regained the momentum, getting a ginormous 3 from Henderson at the 1:17 mark to lead 72-70 and then reclaiming possession with 64 seconds to go.

The 12,000-plus at the WVU Coliseum sensed the wait might be over for their Mountaineers to finally end their year-and-a-half malaise against top-tier teams.

And then a difficult miss by Staten left OSU a crack, and Smart exploited it. He drove the lane, found himself cut off and fired a pass back out to Brown, who had missed all three of his previous 3-pointers.

This time was different. A ball-fake sent WVU defender Gary Browne leaping by before OSU’s Brown calmly sized up a 22-foot dagger over the lunging 6-foot-9 Nate Adrian.

“I know we jumped and left our feet again, which we’ve said 8,000 times ‘Stay down and make them score the ball through you.'” Huggins said.

The old coach realizes those situational nitpicks equal the difference in tight games like Saturday’s. Games like WVU hasn’t been winning the past two seasons. While last year’s team dealt with deeper deficits of chemistry and desire, this year’s much more likable bunch continues to let mini-lapses stunt its accent.

“Hope everybody takes it to heart,” said Henderson, looking better than he ever has in a Mountaineer uni with 21 points, four assists and—this is not a typo—three blocks. “We really blew this game.”

Huggins would concur. And it eats him up.

“The two greatest emotions in the world are winning and losing,” he said, “and I don’t like this emotion.”

Allan Taylor

Allan Taylor joined MetroNews in August 2012, following 18 years of newspaper, magazine and multimedia work as an SEC columnist, sports editor, assistant sports editor, managing editor, news reporter and media consultant.

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Comments

Mister Man

Well-designed play. Too bad it didn't drop.

January 13, 2014 at 5:27 pm |

Mister Man

Great job, Coach. Things are looking u.

January 13, 2014 at 5:15 pm |

Mister Man

up.

January 13, 2014 at 5:16 pm |

justin

"I take full responsibility for this losss, it was my sorry drawn up play or lack there of play that cost us the game." Huggins... oh wait silly me having a guy run straight to basket against four guys is a great play, dont worry about a kick out to our 3pt shooters.

January 12, 2014 at 2:48 pm |

Magic Mike

This team is only going to get better. They learn from every game. It is a very young team and next year they are going to smash the door in.

I like where this team is going and they showed they can play with anyone that last game. The haters will nit pick on anyone.

They played the number 11 team in the nation and almost beat them.

January 12, 2014 at 11:53 am |

Mister Man

Yup.

January 13, 2014 at 5:32 pm |

madhatter

i think what huggins is trying to tell the world when he bashes the team in public is that he simply doens't know how to coach them up...now that's on him not the team , and i seriously hope huggins can figure it out cause if we don't win soon, i think he will lose the team like he did last yr.
these kids deserve better , i just hope huggins decides that throwing the team under the bus after every loss isn't good for their confidence

January 12, 2014 at 11:47 am |

Mister Man

You're funny!!!!

January 13, 2014 at 5:13 pm |

Barry

Love this team, but can’t stand this coach.

There were a boatload of positives in this game and a thimble full of negatives. Yes our young team made some mistakes, but they had a one point loss to the # 11 team in the country.

I get so tired of the negativity from Bob Huggins toward his players. It would be refreshing to hear him be positive in a loss just one time.